118th Birth Anniversary of Bhagat Singh | 29 Sep 2025

Source: TOI

Why in News?

The nation paid homage to revolutionary Bhagat Singh on his 118th birth anniversary on 28th September, 2025.

What are Key Facts Related to Bhagat Singh?

• Early Life: Bhagat Singh, born on 28th September 1907 in Banga, Punjab (now Pakistan), came from a Sikh family active in the freedom struggle. 
  • His father Kishan Singh and uncle Ajit Singh were notable revolutionaries, with his uncle deported to Mandalay and later associated with the San Francisco-based Ghadar Party.
• Formative Experiences: At the age of 12, Bhagat Singh witnessed the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, shaping his resolve for independence. He later joined National College, Lahore, founded by Lala Lajpat Rai, where he was exposed to Swadeshi and revolutionary ideas.
• Revolutionary Politics: In 1924, Bhagat Singh joined the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA), which in 1928 became the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA). 
  • In 1926, he founded the Naujawan Bharat Sabha to mobilize youth for the freedom movement. 
  • In 1929, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw low-intensity bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly to protest the Public Safety Bill (suppressing political activities and deporting individuals) and the Trade Dispute Bill (curbing workers’ right to strike).
• Trial, and Execution: Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev were convicted in the Lahore Conspiracy Case (1928), which involved the murder of British police officer J.P. Saunders in Lahore, carried out to avenge the death of Lala Lajpat Rai.
• All three were hanged on 23rd  March 1931 in Lahore Central Jail. 
• Ideology and Writings: Bhagat Singh was a firm atheist and socialist, influenced by thinkers such as Marx, Lenin, Trotsky, and Bakunin. 
  • His writings, including “Why I Am an Atheist” reflect his belief in rationalism, equality, and social justice. 
  • In the 1920s, Bhagat Singh wrote for Urdu and Punjabi newspapers in Amritsar, as well as the journal of the Kirti Kisan Party- ‘Kirti’, and briefly for the Veer Arjun newspaper in Delhi. 
  • He often used pseudonyms such as Balwant, Ranjit, and Vidhrohi.
• Legacy: Bhagat Singh, honored as Shahid-e-Azam, coined the slogan Inquilab Zindabad (Long Live the Revolution), which became a powerful rallying cry for India’s freedom struggle.
  • Every year on 23rd March, India observes Shaheed Diwas (Martyrs’ Day) to honor the sacrifice of freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQ)